Journey Into Imagination remake AGAIN

[alweg]

For those who don't have the point of reference from the original to today, you should really check out the old ride video that minnie61650 posted to:

figmentsimagination.com

Right at the very beginning of the ride, the Dreamcatcher story is told. Now when you watch the video, keep in mind that this long storytelling sequence is being played out while you're in a moving vehicle! If my memory serves, the entire ride was, and still is an omnimover so it never stops for loading or unloading (like several rides at Disney parks) They pull this amazing trick by having the first scene occur in a room that rotates with your group of vehicles. And a few seconds later, other vehicles have entered their own first scene room with the Dreamcatcher. There were 4 or 5 Dreamcatcher rooms rotating in a big circle. After the opening story was told, you then followed Figment through the rest of the ride.

The rest of the ride was pure magic as well. Now THAT was imagination in ride design! THAT was EPCOT!

 

[ChrisFL]

For those who don't have the point of reference from the original to today, you should really check out the old ride video that minnie61650 posted to:

figmentsimagination.com

Right at the very beginning of the ride, the Dreamcatcher story is told. Now when you watch the video, keep in mind that this long storytelling sequence is being played out while you're in a moving vehicle! If my memory serves, the entire ride was, and still is an omnimover so it never stops for loading or unloading (like several rides at Disney parks) They pull this amazing trick by having the first scene occur in a room that rotates with your group of vehicles. And a few seconds later, other vehicles have entered their own first scene room with the Dreamcatcher. There were 4 or 5 Dreamcatcher rooms rotating in a big circle. After the opening story was told, you then followed Figment through the rest of the ride.

The rest of the ride was pure magic as well. Now THAT was imagination in ride design! THAT was EPCOT!

no, the ride does stop for loading and unloading now and I think it did back then as well, but they go 4 cars at a time

 

[YoHo]

I'm pretty sure it did not stop for loading and unloading and that section being described is the load zone for the current ride.

 

[TXTurtle]

What I don't get is the whole arguement that it can never "go back" to what it was because Dreamfinder's ride was sold/shoved into a store and the track layout changed. Okaaaay ... so what? So it wouldn't have the EXACT track as before. Eh. And last I checked Dreamfinder's ride wasn't some holy singular relic which was dropped from heaven. It was built. By people. The same way all new rides' parts were built. If they reeeeally wanted to change it back they wouldn't be held up by having to rebuild a prop piece. Say instead that after two tries they're tired of failing. Say that it was hugely expensive to run. Say anything except for those nonsensical excuses.

And, at least as far as I'm concerned, while a return to the old would be a HUGE improvement I'm fine with a rehabed ride that's the heir to the first. Ignorning the illegitimate cousins of the subsequent rehabs... that's the way the rehab NEEDS to go, recapturing the spirit of the old rather than just deciding that since we can't rebuild it we're not getting anything worth having.

 

[ChrisFL]

looking at the videos on Youtube, even the queue was sooo much nicer in the old version than now, with the staircase open to view, up to Dreamworks and the nice painting on the wall.

I was 4 or 5 the first time I went on the original ride, so when you're that young you tend to take it for granted, seeing it every year after that, but looking back is when I realize how much went into making that ride and how much is lacking now.

 

[sskipper2]

Really agree TXTurtle. The company easily has the funds to do a rehab that can restore the cute, touching spirit of the original. Without repalcing the track or altering the pattern. New scenes using more easily maintained technologies could be used to recreate the "feel" of the old ride. Remember with all Disney can do right on REHABS, and the fact that imagineers are members of these forums thier is hope. I would expect to see a few more Animatronic scenes but not a lot. With the tech that got used in Nemo & Friends available and relatively cheap to maintain interaction with the guest could bring Figment and DF back in a very good way. My hope is they finally learn to set the sound system and audio to reasonable levels so I dont have my 4 yr old trying to hide from all the loud sounds. Thought?

 

[thefirebuilds]

Really agree TXTurtle. The company easily has the funds to do a rehab that can restore the cute, touching spirit of the original. Without repalcing the track or altering the pattern. New scenes using more easily maintained technologies could be used to recreate the "feel" of the old ride. Remember with all Disney can do right on REHABS, and the fact that imagineers are members of these forums thier is hope. I would expect to see a few more Animatronic scenes but not a lot. With the tech that got used in Nemo & Friends available and relatively cheap to maintain interaction with the guest could bring Figment and DF back in a very good way. My hope is they finally learn to set the sound system and audio to reasonable levels so I dont have my 4 yr old trying to hide from all the loud sounds. Thought?

I agree, the noise in most of these rides is insane.

On your first point though, the face lift, I anticipate many on this board stating Disney took the "cheap way out."

 

[King Triton]

We definitely need Dreamfinder back again!

The first version of the ride was perfect! What were they thinking changing it?

This is GREAT news if they plan on bringing back Dreamfinder.

 

[poober25]

The old ride only stopped for loading/unloading wheelchair accessible cars when needed. I know this because in '85, my mom had to use a wheelchair in the parks.

 

[SueM in MN]

no, the ride does stop for loading and unloading now and I think it did back then as well, but they go 4 cars at a time

Chris is correct. The ride always stopped for loading and still stops now. It's not a long stop, but they need to stop it so that 4 cars can all be loaded and ready to go at the same time.
Each 4 cars is a mini-theater and views the scene together. That was more obvious in the old version because you could actually see the 'walls' of your theater at some points. As you moved thru the scenes, you stayed with the same cars. In that way, it worked sort of like Caroussel of Progress, but on a smaller scale and your ride cars were moving along with the scene, not sitting in one spot and only moving at the end of a scene like in Progress. Like was already pointed out, it was a very complex attraction.

They sometimes stopped a little longer to load guests with wheelchairs, but it always stopped. The only advantage I can see of the new version compared to the old version is that the old one did not have a wheelchair accessible ride car; anyone who wanted to ride it had to transfer out of their wheelchair. The new version does have a wheelchair accessible car that a wheelchair can be loaded right into. Many of the CMs are so adept at doing it that the ride doesn't pause any longer for loading/unloading wheelchairs than it does for other guests.

The old version was one of our favorite Epcot attractions. One of the articles I read about it said it actually was based on (and told the story of) the theories of how imagination works - one little spark starts of process of imagining, which goes on from there. That was what made the attraction interesting - the 'sparks' from the ride started your own imagination brewing. Thanks for the link - I loved watching it again.

 

[agnes!]

Did the twist ties make you feel magical? I used to stick the rabbit ears from the TV into the power outlet. That feeling was about the same as seeing the Monsters Inc Ride at DCA.



That bitter tastes good, like strawberry.
Reminds me of my general feelings towards George Lucas. May his goiter expand and envelope his head.

agnes!

 

[Cinderellabride]

Bring back the original. I am 22, and I have been to Disney World almost every year of my life. I love Figment, but it is just not the same. It used to be one of my favorite rides and I remember I was there with my dad when they changed it the first, I was very upset I remember calling my mom and telling her how awful it was. Then I heard they brought back Figment, I was very excited, only to find out it was not at all the same and still mostly sucked. My fiancee who is 24 had gone once when he was 9 and he loved Figment too, we went this January and he was very dissapointed. We are, however, having a Figment Martini Bar during cocktail hour at our Disney themed wedding (because the cocktail hour room is the Epcot room, and when you have too many Martini's everything becomes a Figment of your imagination). Sadly, many people we tell this too respond with "what's figment?" We are taking some of these people on a grand gathering with us in August YAY!! so they will be introduced to Figment, but I know they will never have the same appreciation we have for him. I say I don't care how much it costs, BRING BACK THE ORIGINAL!! Disney should really stop getting rid of classics and replacing them with things that suck...but that's a whole other post.

 

[Tinker_]

Hmmmm... great thread!

I actually talked to Dan Dillion about this (he is an Imagineer) and he said that if he could change ANYTHING at WDW, it would be JII. To me, that says a lot. He said he would rather see Disney put a good amount of money into fixing some of the old stuff that got REALLY screwed up than add another "space ranger ride at MGM".

 

[Twingle]

Love this thread! The original JII was amazing, and apparently I'm not the only one that thinks so. Made a huge impression, especially for so many of us to remember the original and still want it all this time.

I don't remember Horizions (refresher someone? or a link?), but I LOVED the singing veggies in the Land where Soarin is now. Kitchen Cabaret maybe?

As long as they never, ever bring back Captain EO, I'm good.

 

[littlebigdog]

I also wish they would bring back the original JII. That was my absolute favorite out of all of the original Epcot attractions. Don't get me wrong, I miss Horizons and some of the others as well, but this was my personal favorite and I really wish they could restore it back to the original ride.

 

[Wish2BinWDW]

The original was wonderful. We loved going on it and loved the smells in the different areas. I miss the first Imagination ride.

 

[Taqwus]

I wish they would bring it back. I saw it shortly after Epcot opened, back when Horizons, Communicore and all the original rides where there.
We liked it so much we had fugment beach towels, I really miss those towels

 

[cherbear]

Love this thread! The original JII was amazing, and apparently I'm not the only one that thinks so. Made a huge impression, especially for so many of us to remember the original and still want it all this time.

I don't remember Horizions (refresher someone? or a link?), but I LOVED the singing veggies in the Land where Soarin is now. Kitchen Cabaret maybe?

As long as they never, ever bring back Captain EO, I'm good.

I don't remember Horizons, but I know it existed at some time. The singing fruits and vegetables was a show called "Food Rocks" and I remember really enjoying it as well. I was very young but the adults in my family liked it, too.

 

[minnie61650]

I don't remember Horizons, but I know it existed at some time. The singing fruits and vegetables was a show called "Food Rocks" and I remember really enjoying it as well. I was very young but the adults in my family liked it, too.

Just an FYI

The Kitchen Kabaret audio-animatronic show was introduced on Oct. 1st, 1982 when Epcot first opened.

The Opening date of Food Rocks was 1994.
Closing date January 3, 2004 .

Have fun at Disney!

 

[dunnhorn]

I can't believe they are bringing back the time traveler! I wonder if they are recreating him, or getting him out of Disney Storage.